Preview — From Sand and Ash
by Amy Harmon

“When love beckons to you follow him, Though his ways are hard and steep. And when his wings enfold you yield to him, Though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you. And when he speaks to you believe in him, Though his voice may shatter your dreams as the north wind lays waste the garden. For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify you. Even as he is for your growth so is he for your pruning. Even as he ascends to your height and caresses your tenderest branches that quiver in the sun, So shall he descend to your roots and shake them in their clinging to the earth......

But if in your fear you would seek only love's peace and love's pleasure, Then it is better for you that you cover your nakedness and pass out of love's threshing-floor, Into the seasonless world where you shall laugh, but not all of your laughter, and weep, but not all of your tears. Love gives naught but itself and takes naught but from itself.

Love possesses not nor would it be possessed; For love is sufficient unto love. And think not you can direct the course of love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course. Love has no other desire but to fulfil itself."

But if you love and must needs have desires, let these be your desires: To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night. To know the pain of too much tenderness. To be wounded by your own understanding of love; And to bleed willingly and joyfully.”
―
Kahlil Gibran,
Le Prophète

“So it's not gonna be easy. It's going to be really hard; we're gonna have to work at this everyday, but I want to do that because I want you. I want all of you, forever, everyday. You and me... everyday.”
―
Nicholas Sparks,
The Notebook

“We’re all a little weird. And life is a little weird. And when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall into mutually satisfying weirdness—and call it love—true love.”
―
Robert Fulghum,
True Love

“The point of marriage is not to create a quick commonality by tearing down all boundaries; on the contrary, a good marriage is one in which each partner appoints the other to be the guardian of his solitude, and thus they show each other the greatest possible trust. A merging of two people is an impossibility, and where it seems to exist, it is a hemming-in, a mutual consent that robs one party or both parties of their fullest freedom and development. But once the realization is accepted that even between the closest people infinite distances exist, a marvelous living side-by-side can grow up for them, if they succeed in loving the expanse between them, which gives them the possibility of always seeing each other as a whole and before an immense sky.”
―
Rainer Maria Rilke,
Letters to a Young Poet

“No long-term marriage is made easily, and there have been times when I've been so angry or so hurt that I thought my love would never recover. And then, in the midst of near despair, something has happened beneath the surface. A bright little flashing fish of hope has flicked silver fins and the water is bright and suddenly I am returned to a state of love again — till next time. I've learned that there will always be a next time, and that I will submerge in darkness and misery, but that I won't stay submerged. And each time something has been learned under the waters; something has been gained; and a new kind of love has grown. The best I can ask for is that this love, which has been built on countless failures, will continue to grow. I can say no more than that this is mystery, and gift, and that somehow or other, through grace, our failures can be redeemed and blessed.”
―
Madeleine L'Engle

Around the World in 80 Books
— 14163 members
— last activity 2 minutes ago
Reading takes you places. Where in the world will your next book take you? If you love world literature, travel writing, or exploring the world througReading takes you places. Where in the world will your next book take you? If you love world literature, travel writing, or exploring the world through books, you have come to the right place! ATW80 began in 2009 as a challenge on TNBBC. The separate group was established in 2011.
Anyone can join and participate in the challenges or readings at any time. Challenge participation is not a requirement of joining. Anyone who loves reading books from around the world is welcome here.
The main purpose of this group is to travel the world through books, experiencing new authors and cultures along the way. Want to read about the world? We have close to 40,000 books cataloged by setting and more are added each month.
"The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.” - Dr. Suess
“There are too many books I haven’t read, too many places I haven’t seen, too many memories I haven’t kept long enough.”
― Irwin Shaw
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Outlander Series
— 5447 members
— last activity Feb 15, 2018 10:06PM
For fans of Diana Gabaldon and the Outlander Series. Feel free to post, poll, invite, and discuss. Please take a moment to read the rules found in 'grFor fans of Diana Gabaldon and the Outlander Series. Feel free to post, poll, invite, and discuss.
Please take a moment to read the rules found in 'group info'.
The series, in order:
* Outlander(also titled Cross Stitch)
* Dragonfly in Amber
* Voyager
* Drums of Autumn
* The Fiery Cross
* A Breath of Snow and Ashes
* An Echo in the Bone
* Written in my own Hearts Blood (working title for book 8)
Group also contains novella's by Diana Gabaldon, and the Lord John Grey series.
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